Gran Torino Movie Essay

Gran Torino Movie Essay

Question 1: Walt’s process of adapting to cultural diversity and the difference between Walt’s culture and the Hmong people.

Walt embraces an American-based low-context culture in which language is mainly applied to convey feelings, ideas, and notions as precisely as possible. He is guided in a culture that appreciates individualism, and powerful language use that sees him speak with openness and with even a unique sense of vulgarity and sarcasm. This is shown when he uses vulgar language while speaking to Martin, the barber and the priest. From the initial encounter with his Hmong neighbors, his dissatisfaction and racism could be quickly perceived. This cultural perception puts Walt at a point he is viewed as an ethnocentric, taking his culture as superior that makes him exhibit prejudice attitudes, considering others to belong to an outgroup (Eastwood et al., 2009). However, Walt eventually learns to more about Hmong culture through an after-time developed friendship between him, Thao and Sue that makes him ultimately accept them as equals. He develops competence in inter-cultural communication, resulting from an exchange of communications in a mode persuaded by their cultural symbol system and perception. Walt later changes his racist attitude, develops patience, and becomes more open-minded in learning new ideas that make him appreciate a culture other than his.

Through his interaction with Sue and family, makes him discover his qualities and characteristics he had forgotten that he gradually gets liberated from his blinding prejudice. Afterwards, he manages to sacrifice himself to guide the Hmong family to counsel and guide them.  Despite his adaptation to inter-cultural communication, the film portrays Walt to represent a different culture from that embraced by the Hmong people (Asian-based origin). Asians, on the other hand, maintain a high-context culture in which exchange of ideas depends significantly on subtle and non-verbal cues to sustain social harmony as opposed to the American low-context culture that portrays language as a direct expression of thoughts ideas and feelings (Roche, 2011). Contrast to the Hmong culture that is based on polite communication; the American culture relies strongly on the use of powerful language as Walt is seen to frequently use powerful, vulgar, and sarcastic language while speaking to others.

Question 2: Walt’s verbal communication skills versus of Thao and Sue and the meanings attached thereto.

Kowalski’s verbal communication is matched and attached with the use of sarcasm and vulgarity as seen through his interaction with the barber where their communication establishes an in-group culture throughout the film. This could be tracked when he discloses to the barber that he required to pay 10 dollars to have a haircut; he replies later as, “ten bucks? Jesus Christ, Marty. What are you, half-Jew or something? You keep increasing the damn prices all the time.” The tone and language here would sound provocative and a person who might fall-off his culture system might feel insulted or become angry. Later, while speaking to, Father Janovich, as concerning Kowalski’s penance, Walt replies confirming that he can’t repent nor confess to “an overeducated 27-year-old virgin who likes to hold the hands of superstitious old ladies and promise them everlasting life.” Walt also uses racist kind of language when referring to Sue and family. He calls them “Chinks” and “barbarians” probably because of his negative perception towards Hmong and other Asian groups as a result of an ethnocentric perception of viewing his group superior to the one belonging to Sue and Thao.

On the contrary, Sue and Thao maintain communication skills that are guided with a lot of politeness not to seem offensive, or aggressive particularly to the elderly. The Asians always look down not to maintain eye contact while speaking to the elderly as a way of not appearing obnoxious or disrespectful. This is depicted when Walt is told by Sue to stare away from the Hmong’s “witch doctor,” particularly when communicating with each other because it would be impertinent and belligerent.

Question 3: How Walt views friendship different from Thao and Sue’s friendship and the strategies which are different between them in initiating and maintaining friendships.

Contrary to Thao, Sue, and the entire Hmong people, Walt does not appreciate friendship. He affords to despise his children and grandchildren. When his granddaughter asks him about the old car, Walt’s response denotes how he values friendship as he fails to respond only to stare at her and spat to the ground. Perhaps this indicates the difference in culture that Americans present, Walt maintains an individualistic lifestyle as opposed to the collective culture of the Asians; Sue and Thao (Eastwood et al., 2009). This difference in friendship and collectiveness can also be depicted when Walt’s son visits him and is seen convincing the dad to relocate and stay with the retirement community. The proposition falls different from the Hmong’s means of considering and dealing with the elderly, as according to Sue’s family relationship, the elderly stay together with the members of the family till their last moment. Conversely, too, Sue and Thao love each other and value their friendship as seen when Sue protects his brother from the insults his friends lash on him.

Walt becomes resistant to change since moving from the Korean war to his new place. He does not maintain a close relationship with his neighbors only to stay indoors, fixing things around his place and drinking beer. He even threatens to kill Thao and his cousin when the fight erupted between the cousin and Thao intending to chase them out of the garden. However, as a friendship strategy, Thao and Sue react by offering gifts to Walt as an appreciation for an effort of saving Thao. Therefore, Sue and Thao display friendship through their kindness and act of humility. As such, Walt is moved and consequently, initiates his friendship with Thao as seen when he enables him to repair his house. Friendship then develops between Walt and Thao, as Walt notices how miserable his life has been, he then decides to institutionalize a positive change to his remaining life on earth.

References

Eastwood, C., Schenk, N., Johannsson, D., Lorenz, R., & Gerber, B. (2009). Gran Torino. Warner Home Video.

Roche, M. W. (2011). Cultural and religious reversals in Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino. Religion and the Arts, 15(5), 648-679.